Tubular bandage



Spt. 19, 1950 lllllllmll w. M. scHoLL- TUBULAR BANDAGE Filed May 22, 1947 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 19, 1950y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUBULAR BANDAGE William M. Scholl, Chicago, Ill. v Application May 22, 1947, Serial No. 749,754

9 Claims.

The improvements relate to surgical and medical bandages and more particularly to bandages made in tubular form, such as are commonly called stockinette, and are usually employed to cover and protect the extremities of the human body, such as toes, feet, fingers and hands after surgery has been performed thereon or medication applied thereto or abrasions or other injuries treated, and also to protect the garments of the wearer and other things with which the extremity may come in contact after such treatment. In amputations, tubular bandages are used to cover and protect the stump, the foot or other remaining part. The uses of the improvements, however, are not limited to such purposes and may be extended to normal extremities for iany desired purposes such as protection against heat, cold or abrasives and to protect and prevent undue wear upon the feet of hosiery. They may also be applied to yboth man and beast.

The primary objects of the improvements are to provide a stall or sheath of more or less resilient material such as knitted or woven fabric, by making a tube of indefinite length of such material and providing it with suitable closures at convenient intervals, so that it can be applied to the toe, finger or other extremity and closed at the end thereof, then turned back on itself to form a double ply or thickness, without twisting or tying the material and thus forming a f projecting and objectionable lump, or by simply cutting off the length needed for the particular usebeyond the closure and employing a single thickness; to provide it with means for securing the stall to the hand, wrist, foot or ankle; to make possible the use of triple or quadruple ply stalls or sheaths; and to secure other advantages and adapt the article to other uses which will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Heretofore it has been the practice to employ continuous tubing for bandages of the kind herein referred to and to twist them beyond the extremity of the body to which they are applied after inserting it therein, then to turn a portion of said tube beyond the twisted part back over the portion in which `said extremity has been inserted to form a double ply tube or stall with the twisted portion beyond the bandaged member enclosed in the bandage. This practice has numerous objectionable features, among themy that the twist does not establish a denite end for the bandage so that it is of a length in excess of the necessary length; that it does not in itself form a tight closure and Varies according lil to the tightness of the twist and the elasticity of the tubular material which tends to prevent the outer ply from slipping and Working loose in the inner ply; that the twist forms a lump or obstruction in the endof the stall which will cause pressure on the end of the toe, nger or other extremity to which the bandage is applied when the same is brought in Contact with the toe of the shoe or any other object, and thus causes irritation to the affected part if it is near the said twist; that the twist has a constant tendency to unwind and become loose on the part to which it is applied, requiring the employment `of adhesive tape or other objectionable binding or tieing to hold it `in place and prevent it from coming loose or slipping off.

There are other disadvantages which need not be mentioned, since the foregoing are sufiicient to make the twisting method undesirable in many cases. l

The present improvements lare designed to correct and overcome the objections and disadvantages of ltubularbandages applied by the twisting method or other methods, and to provide a tubular bandage which may be quickly, easily fand accuratelyV applied and which when so applied will maintain its position securely and afford protection as well as la certain degree of ventilation to the affected part.

In the said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side View of a tubular bandage embodying the improvements;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal medial section of the bandage of Fig. 1 applied to the human thumb ,-1 or great toe and folded back on itself to form a double ply stall or sheath;

Fig. 3 is an outer end View of the bandage as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section of the bandage of Figs. 2 and 3, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side View similar to that of Fig. l of a modified form of embodiment of the improvements;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to those of Figs. l and 5 `of another modified form.

In the said drawings, I is the tubular bandage, which preferably isof knitted or otherwise resilienty woven fabric, is of indenite length, so that it can be maderup and sold in rolls or any other form and is therefore capable of being used for many lsucces'sive operations or medications. It is `divided into sections 2, 3, etc., by cross stitching 4, closing theotherwise hollow and unobstructed interior 5. This tube of material may be applied to the toe, nger or other affected part by inserting the latter therein until its end reaches the rst closure 4, then cutting it with shears or a knife as indicated at I', then turning it back on the closure 4 to form a double ply sheath or stall, and without twisting or other securement.

The stitching or similar closing means 4 permits the end of the stall to be brought close to the extremity of the affected member, but if a cushion between suchmember` and' the said end is desired', a piece of absorbent cotton folded gauze or a cut off piece of the tube itself may be` inserted to give just the right protection and absorbing function. If the stall is req-uired toy be longer than the sections 2 and 3 permit, the stitching may be removed with scissors or other implement and the next closurey used for.V the end of the stall, cutting off the excess length, which will cause little waste. If desired or advisable, adhesive tape or thread or cord engaging the exterior of the stall near4 its base' and ani adrjacent part of the body' may' be employed.

In the modification of' Fig. 5,. the tube. isL the same as in Figs. 1' tot 4, and apiece of cordor strong thread 9=is tied rather loosely around? it at regular intervals,. to dividey it. into sections? 62,. lf, and 8', by meansof asinglefb'ow knot 9J' asshoyvn, so that the closure may' be moved'. along the? tube to' make the sections. longerl or shorter and then tie'd.' tightly before turning back the next sec'- tion.

`The pieces` 9 maybe made: of sufficient length to.V extend from the closure` to the base. of the stallv and beyondl and: to afford. means, for ti'e'ing. it to. an adjacent parti of the: body, such as;v the' foot, ankle, hand or wrist.' if? necessary or dief sirable.

The modiication. ofFigf. 6 hasthe. closing cordA ti of the open tubey lli disposedf lengthvvliser ofi" the tube and passed through the fabric thereof at intervals |52', soY that it'can' beeasily ti'edf. thereon and employed tol form a closure or removed therefrom' for adjustingv thelsection. lengths, with'v sufficient cord left' beyond' the knot toi provide` a securementof the stall'A tothebody-f of:` theluser.`

It willv be seen froml the foregoingv that the present improvementsJ provide' a. tubular bandage' in the form of'v a sheath orv stall which may not only be quickly, easily and securely appliedand? with precision but will serve to protect"- the' part which has been injured, operated on or 'treated for some abnormality, disease or in-fection, and also may be as quickly' and' easily'removedl and replaced. 'Ihey also provide for the adjustment ofthe bandage to the length of the member` to which it is applied by permitting the'. closure' tot be shifted; lengthwise ofV the bandage if necessary. This applies to all three forms shown', asthe stitching of the form of Figs. lI to 4? maybe removed very easily and itsA thread or cord em-r ployed to tie another closure. It' is desirable, however, when this,` form is used, tol make tl'ie tube sections of maximum required lengthl andi then trim: off the-open endif? necessary to shorten it, and this will involve veryx little-waste.

The free ends' of theA cord' or' the like, extendin'g away from the. knot;.will runv down b'etweenr the two plies of material and' beyondz. the' sta-ll' so that they can bel used t'otie the stallY in placex andv tie the outer: ends; oftheplies: together.v Or one or both; of. them maybeI cut oft at the knot'` a-ndrused: for. the, purpose justlstated. One-ot the; advantagesof theimprovements is thatfthey pro-l Vide a` stallV bandage which requires no" additional: meansto apply itand secure.' it inplacei What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a tube of elastic material of relatively great length and small diameter, means for closing said tube at intervals comp-rising cord or the like attached to said tube at intervals and engaging the material thereof so as to be definitely positioned with respect thereto but being longitudinally adjustable thereon, said tube being severable at various places spaced' from said closing means, and said tube closing means constructed and arranged to close said tube at definite points along its length.

2. In a tubular bandage of the character dcs'cribed', a tube of elastic fabric of relatively great length and small diameter, means detachable from said tube for closing said tube at intervals comprising cord or the like attached to said tube at intervals and engaging the material thereof so as to be denitely positioned with respect thereto but not incorporated in said fabric, said tubecb'eing` severablel atzvariousi` places' spaced from said closing'means, and said tubev clo'singfmeans constructed and' arranged' toi close' said tube atl definite points along its length' and?. to permit severed portions oftlfie,r tube. toi extend;- beyondthem on both: sides and forming; the? closed. endl of a stall constructed". and arranged for applica'd tion to an extremity? of the'bo'dy whenone exa tending: portion is' folded back lover thel other..

3. Inv a. device' of the character described, atube` of elastic material: of relatively great length and smalldiameter, means' detachable from-said tube for closing saidtube atintervals comprising cord or the like removably attacheditd said' tube ati intervals and: engaging: the; materiali .thereof so as to be denitely positioned with respect thereto but adjustable thereon. lengthwise there-- of', said'. tube beingI severable at'. various places' spaced from said closing meana.

4. In a' device ofthe ch'aracter'described, a tube of' elastic material of relatively gre'at'-lengthl and small diameter, means for closingY said( tube at intervals comprising cord or'tl'ie'flike` attached' t`o= said tube' at intervals'and engaging the mate rial thereof sofas to be deiinitely'positioned' with'l respect thereto, said tube being severable at vari--` ous places' spaced' from said closing means, an'd said tube closing means constructed and arranged to 'close said' tube at definite' points along' its' length and to permitv sev'eredv portions ofthe tube to extend beyond' them on both sides and formfin'g the closed end of a stall open at the opposite end' for an extremity of the-bodyA when one ex tending portion is folded back over the other', and said cord or thelike having extending portions of a length sufficient to extend beyond' the open end of said' stall' and adapted to engagesaid end and a part of thebody adjacent but beyond saidi open end.

5. In a tubular bandage of the character d'escribed, a tube of elastic fabric of. relatively' greatl length and small. diameter, means for closing said'. tube at intervals comprising cord or the like at tached to said tube at intervals spaced away from its extremities but being detached. therefrom be.- tween and extending from one of said points of.v attachment to another and. engaging, thematerial'. thereof so as to be definitelyy positionedV with re spect thereto butvnot incorporatedin saidfabric,. said tube being severable at various places spacedy a substantial distance from said. closing means and` foldable onsaid closing means to-form a two end'.

6. In a tubular bandage of the character described, a tube of elastic fabric of relatively great length and small diameter, means for closing said tube at intervals comprising ileXible material tenuous in form but of relatively great tensile strength attached to said tube at intervals spaced away from its extremities and engaging the material of the tube so as to be denitely positioned with respect thereto but not incorporated in said fabric, said tube being severable at various places spaced a substantial distance from said closing means and foldable on said closing means to form a two-ply tubular bandage with an open and a closed end.

'7. In a tubular bandage of the character described, a tube of resilient fabric of relatively great length and small diameter, means for closing said tube at regular predetermined intervals comprising strong material of tenuous form attached to said tube at intervals spaced away from its extremities having relation to the length of a terminal member of the human body and engaging the material thereof on a plurality of sides so as to be definitely positioned with respect thereto but not incorporated in said fabric, said tube being severable at various places Aspaced a substantial distance from said closing means and foldable on said closing means to form a twoply tubular bandage with an open and a closed end.

8. In a device of the character described, a tube of elastic material of relatively great length and small diameter, means for closing said tube at intervals comprising strong material tenuous in form attached to said tube at intervals spaced away from its extremities and engaging the material thereof so as to be denitely positioned with respect thereto, said tube being severable at varous places spaced from said closing means, and said tube closing means being slidable longtudinally on and constructed and arranged to close said tube at predetermined points along its length. l

9. In a tubular bandage of the character described, a tube of elastic fabric of relatively great length and small diameter, means for closing said tube at intervals comprising cord or the like attached to said tube at intervals spaced away from its extremities and engaging the material thereof so as to be definitely positioned with respect thereto but not incorporated in said fabric, said tube being severable at various places spaced from said closing means, and said tube closing means constructed and arranged to constrict and close said tube at definite points along its length and to permit severed portions of the tube to extend beyond them on both sides and forming the closed end of a multi-ply stall for an extremity of the body when one extending portion is folded back onsaid means over the other.

WILLIAM M. SCHOLL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 684,234 Haywood Oct. 8, 1901 2,326,997 Hochman Aug. 17, 1943 2,348,119 Fridolph May 2, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,306 Great Britain Nov. 26, 1914 

